Critical Care Newsline — February 21, 2008

Here’s the latest edition of Critical Care Newsline, the electronic newsletter from the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses. You’ll find links to resources, research abstracts (individual sites may require registration and a fee to access complete articles) and Web sites on a variety of topics, keeping you informed on issues that affect nurses and the nursing profession.

1. News: Some Brain Injuries May Reduce Occurrence of PTSD
A new study of combat-exposed Vietnam War veterans shows that those with injuries to certain parts of the brain were less likely to develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The findings, from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Naval Medical Center, suggest that drugs or pacemaker-like devices aimed at dampening activity in these brain regions might be effective treatments for PTSD.
http://www.nih.gov/news/pr/dec2007/ninds-23.htm

2. Research: Achieving Career Satisfaction as a Registered Nurse (Abstract)
The authors of this study polled registered nurses to find out how contented they were with their nursing careers.
http://www.jcenonline.com/view.asp?rID=25721

3. Call for Comment: Waived Testing Requirements
As part of the Standards Improvement Initiative (SII), The Joint Commission is asking for feedback on proposed revisions to the Waived Testing requirements for the Ambulatory, Home Care, Hospital and Office-Based Surgery programs.
http://www.jointcommission.org/Standards/SII/

4. Resource: Hand Hygiene Tips
This four-page document from the WHO Collaborating Center for Patient Safety Solutions contains tips on how to improve hand hygiene to lower the risk of healthcare-associated infections.
http://www.jcipatientsafety.org/fpdf/presskit/PS-Solution9.pdf

5. Research: Reducing Hospital-Acquired Pressure Ulcer Prevalence Using a Focused Prevention Program (Abstract)
Researchers in this study found that use of a pressure ulcer prevention program reduced the hospital-acquired prevalence rate for all pressure ulcers by 81%. The rate for heel ulcers alone was reduced by 90%.
http://www.aswcjournal.com/pt/re/advswc/abstract.00129334-200802000-00007.htm;jsessionid=HsQJ72fQ11pB2jXbHJnHKBbXPmvHtLvwrQGvyyGT3qGyv7FhsLx8!1138671057!181195629!8091!-1

6. News: Brief Intervention Helps Emergency Patients Reduce Alcohol Consumption
Asking emergency department patients about their alcohol use and talking with them about how to reduce harmful drinking patterns is an effective way to lower the rates of risky drinking in these patients, according to a nationwide collaborative study supported by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
http://www.nih.gov/news/pr/dec2007/niaaa-20.htm

7. Resource: Race, Genetics and Healthcare
Web-based content on race, genetics and healthcare is now available from the National Coalition for Health Professional Education in Genetics.
http://www.nchpeg.org/raceandgenetics/

Measurement of Thoracic Fluid Content in Heart Failure: The Role of Impedance Cardiography (Abstract)
http://www.aacnclinicalissues.com/pt/re/aacn/abstract.01256961-200801000-00009.htm;jsessionid=HzgSs5kyTmV21vpBXbJQpzFZ8TPdmdGnD6cGxwwp5r1FV2FcNQ1b!-809317659!181195629!8091!-1

PERSONAL RESOURCES FOR MEMBERS
http://www.aacn.org/AACN/Memship.nsf/vwdoc/personalresources

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